Open distal femur fracture requiring flap or vascular repair (grade 3b or 3c) Planned fixation strategy includes interfragmentary lag fixation of non-articular fractures Active local infection Limited life expectancy due to significant medical co-morbidity or medical contraindication to surgery Inability to comply with rehabilitation or form completion Likely problems, in the judgment of the investigators, with maintaining follow-up (i.e. patients with no fixed address, patients not mentally competent to give consent, etc.) Non-ambulatory patients Lack of bone substance or poor bone quality which, in the surgeon's judgment, makes locked plate fixation impossible Periprosthetic fractures Any concomitant lower-extremity injury that requires non-weight-bearing beyond 6 weeks post-operative Addition of bone graft, bone graft substitute or BMP Pregnant women